The Missing Link: The Statue of Liberty and African Americans

This fourth of July got me reflecting. I was once reading a blog of Dr. Joy DeGruy (One of many phenomenal scholarly Sistas). It discussed a visit she made to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Along the tour, there were people of diverse backgrounds but for Black Americans, visiting the Statue of Liberty held no special meaning in our lives. Our families have no records in the display cases of Ellis Island. We had no option of where we wanted to be or how our families would be raised. There is no heartwarming story that we can look back on and share with our children. As Dr DeGruy has said in one of her many lectures, “America’s pathology is her denial”. The utter disregard for what many White Americans’ ancestors methodically and systematically did to our African ancestors during slavery. One of the things Dr. DeGruy discussed was the ignorance the tour guide displayed in the true history of the Statue of Liberty.

The original rendition of the Statue of Liberty, sculpted by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi was of an African female slave. The design included broken chains on her left arm and feet. The features of the rendition were also closer to ethnic features of an African woman. The United States accepted the gift, but only after Bartholdi removed the chains from her arm and made her facial features more European.

I recently found out about this by watching a black documentary called Hidden Colors. I would recommend African Americans of all ages to watch this documentary, to find out who we are and where we came from. I’m glad this article was posted now we just need to spread the word so that others will be knowledgeable.